City Of Rocks National Reserve [ID]

Description

The City of Rocks became a landmark in 1843 for California-bound emigrants. Today, the City of Rocks National Reserve is managed by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and the National Park Service, and is first and foremost a recreational area. The smooth granite faces offer exceptional rock climbing. In addition to recreation, visitors to the reserve can enjoy the unique geology, flora, and history of the area. Many of the emigrants left their signatures on the rock spires in axle grease.

The site offers indoor and wayside exhibits. The website offers visitor information, historical information, and information on the geology and ecology of the reserve. In order to contact the reserve by email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site [AZ]

Description

The Hubbell Trading Post was started in 1878 by John Lorenzo Hubball in order to serve the new Navajo Nation. The post is the oldest continuously operating trading post in Navajo Nation, and is operated today by the National Park Service. Since the trading post is still operating, visitors "will experience history first hand at Hubbell Trading Post NHS."

The site offer house tours, demonstrations, and Junior Ranger activities. The website offers brief historical and visitor information regarding the site. In order to contact the historic site via email, use the "contact us" located on the left side of the webpage.

Pecos National Historical Park [NM]

Description

Pecos National Historical Park "preserves 12,000 years of history including the ancient pueblo of Pecos, Colonial Missions, Santa Fe Trail sites, 20th century ranch history of Forked Lightning Ranch, and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass. For several centuries the Upper Pecos Valley has been one of those rare places where the impact of geography on human experience is strikingly clear." The park is full of history, ranging from early American Indians to the Civil War in the west and Spanish settlement.

The park offers a 10-minute introductory film, exhibits in English and Spanish, guided tours, a one-mile trail, summer demonstrations, and Junior Ranger activities. Two weeks advance notice is required for all guided tours. The website offers detailed historical information regarding the park, as well as general visitor information. In order to contact the park via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

John Muir National Historic Site [CA]

Description

"John Muir was many things, inventor, immigrant, botanist, glaciologist, writer, co-founder of the Sierra Club, fruit rancher. But it was John Muir's love of nature, and the preservation of it, that we can thank him for today." The John Muir National Historic Site takes visitors on a tour of John Muir's Life, from his powerful nature photography to his roles as a writer and preservationist. In addition, visitors can admire Muir's beautiful home and learn more about the Muir family.

The site offers basic historical and visitor information about the National Historic Site, but links to Museum Collections at the John Muir National Historic Site website, located at http://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/jomu/index.html. This site contains more detailed historical and bibliographical information of John Muir, as well as photo galleries of all current exhibits. In order to contact the National Historic Site by email, use the "contact us" link on the original webpage.

Inupiat Heritage Center [AK]

Description

The Inupiat Heritage Center presents the history and culture of the Inupiat people. Originally the only hunters of the bowhead whale, or Agviq, in the region, during the 19th century they came into contact with New England whalers. After this point, many Inupiat crewed on New Bedford vessels and/or traded with the commercial whalers.

The center offers exhibits, a traditional room, activities, tours, storytelling, lectures, dance performances, and Junior Ranger activities. The website offers a booklet of activities to be completed during school visits.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park [HI]

Description

The Kalaupapa National Historical Park is primarily focused on the forced isolation of all Hawaiian people suffering from leprosy. The park is restricted in access, and prospective visitors must apply for a permit with the Hawaiian State Department of Health. From the park website: "The park's mission is to provide a well-maintained community ensuring the present patient residents of the Kalaupapa Settlement may live out their lives there."

The park offers hiking and historical sites. An outside company run by a local resident, Damien Tours, arranges tours. The website offers in depth historical information regarding the park, as well as visitor information. In order to contact the park via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

White Sands National Monument [NM]

Description

The White Sands National Monument is located in the heart of the Tularosa Basin and protects one of the world's national wonders, the white sand dunes of New Mexico. The dunes cover 275 square miles of desert, and are composed primarily of gypsum.

The monument offers hiking trails, a visitor center with exhibits and presentations, the White Sands Institute which offers classes and workshops, field trip programs, and outreach programs where park rangers come and give presentations at local schools. The website offers historical information regarding the park, visitor information, fact sheets for students, and nature and science articles. In order to contact the website via email, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Tumacacori National Historical Park [AZ]

Description

Tumacacori National Historical Park protects three Spanish colonial mission ruins in southern Arizona. Each of the ruins has a modern adobe structure on it, and the Tumacacori ruin now is home to the park visitor center.

The park offers hiking, guided tours, ranger-led activities, presentations, field trip programs, and a traveling trunk program. The website offers historical and cultural information about the park, visitor information, and online curriculum materials. In order to contact the park, use the "contact us" link located on the left side of the webpage.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site [WA]

Description

The Fort Vancouver National Historic Site commemorates the history of For Vancouver, the main supply depot of the British Hudson Bay Company's "Columbia Department" between 1824 and 1860. As such, the fort was central to a 700,000 mile fur trading network, which reached from Alaska to California and from the Rocky Mountains to Hawaii. The fort has also been used as the early end of the Oregon Trail and a U.S. Army Post. The community living in Fort Vancouver consisted of 35 distinct ethnicities. The site also operates the home of John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of Fort Vancouver between 1825–1845.

The site offers introductory talks at Fort Vancouver; audio tours, including a tour designed for children; self-guided tours; guided house tours; period rooms; an overnight living history program; hands-on exhibits; a children's hands-on archaeological program; Victorian handcraft, artillery, blacksmithing, carpentry, cooking, baking, and gardening demonstrations; Junior Ranger activities; and lantern tours. Reservations are required at both sites for school groups.

Aztec Ruins National Monument [NM]

Description

The Aztec Ruins National Monument is an ancestral Pueblo site. A "great house" known as West Ruin offers one-half mile of rooms, some with their original wooden roofing and mortar. The reconstructed Great Kiva offers a glimpse of how an ancestral Pueblo religious and social center would have looked. Although referred to as Aztec, the ruins are in fact Anasazi or, as they are more commonly called, ancestral Pueblo. The use of the designator "Aztec" arose out of local word-of-mouth circa 1876.

The monument offers an introductory video on the area's Pre-Columbian history, interpretive talks, a self-guided tour and interpretive trail, lectures, traveling trunks, demonstrations of Native American crafts, teacher's workshops, a children's workshop for third-grade students from San Juan County, Junior Ranger activities, and a picnic area. The website offers a curriculum guide for download.